Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Hillary Clinton: Serial Egotism

Maybe Huckabee isn't the only one who receives phone calls from God.

The first time Hillary Clinton said something very similar to this, it seemed accidental, attributable to fatigue, but nevertheless odd. It was also a little more general, and could--if one is very generous-- be taken to mean that high turnout indicates healthy democracy, not that her personal victory is necessary for "America to be back." That was just over a month ago. Now she is quoted as having said of her primary election victories in Ohio and Texas:

"This nation is coming back and so is this campaign," she said.

She might mean "This nation is coming back in support of my candidacy," but then "and so is this campaign" wouldn't make sense ("and this campaign is coming back in support of my candidacy, too"?). It seems, therefore, that she must mean that support of her candidacy is necessary for the nation's success: "This nation comes back when it gives me victory."

I'm sure that a very determined and ambitious mindset is required to be a successful candidate. She has to believe that she should win, not just that she might win and could do the job if elected. But these statements suggest that she believes that, of all the candidates, only she could do the job; that only she should win, and that the nation fails when it doesn't support her. Perhaps they all think this way, and only she lets it show.

Whether only she has trouble distinguishing between her personal interest and the national interest, or only she can't conceal this confusion, it seems to me this indicates a handicap other candidates don't have (although they may have worse faults).

About Me

Why uwwoonp.?

In response to criticism for ending a sentence with a preposition (the part of speech), Winston Churchill replied "This is the sort of pedantry up with which I cannot put." I think there are plenty of things Up With Which One Ought Not Put, and maybe pointing some of them out will help (or at least make me feel better).